a. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to bird cage ladders, and more specifically relates to bird cage ladders equipped with a locking connection mechanism to prevent the ladder from falling off a cage.
b. Background Art
A typical bird cage 10 is depicted in prior art FIG. 1. Bird cages 10 come in various sizes and shapes and are typically constructed of thin metal bars 12 spaced close to one another so as to admit light and air while preventing the bird's escape. Ladders 14 constructed for bird cages 10 are well known in the art. These ladders are typically used by birds to access other areas of a cage 10 and to provide perches at various levels in the bird cage 10 for a bird to rest upon. The bottoms 16 of many bird cages 10 available on the market are constructed of thin metal bars to allow food, feathers, and feces to fall through the bars and into a catch tray 18 for easy clean-up, as shown in prior art FIG. 1. Because these cage bottoms 16 are constructed of thin metal bars and do not have a flat plane on the bottom of the cage 10, it is impractical to construct a bird cage ladder 14 that is stably supported by the bottom of the bird cage. Therefore, many bird cage ladders 14 are constructed so that they can attach to the bars 12 of the bird cage 10 or be suspended therefrom. In this scenario, the bottom of the ladder 14 rests precariously on the bottom 16 of the cage 10. Many of these ladders 14 utilize open hooks 20 to hang the ladder 14 from the bird cage bars 12. As shown in FIG. 1, a ladder 14 utilizing open hooks 20 can be hung from the bird cage bars 12 on the cage sidewalls 22 in a traditional manner. While not depicted herein, the ladder 14 in FIG. 1 can also be hung from the bars 12 on the top 24 of the cage 10. Although an open hook design makes it easier for a user to install and remove a bird ladder 14 from the cage 10, the open hook design may become dislodged from the bars 12 of the cage 10 when a bird climbs on or swings on the ladder 14. In addition, the open hook design provides little or no flexibility for a user to secure a ladder from the top of a domed style bird cage due to its curved shape.